Apparatus for extinguishing fires.



J. B. & 0.11. ERWIN.

APPARATUS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 5. 8915- RENEWED JAN. 8, 9|].

Iatented Feb.1917.

awueutoz attomw tp 1 20 mg surface.

. iij-"tan'k'l" yaeaas of thefiopeiii pou 'UNITED STATES PATnNToFFIcn.

JAMES B. ERWIN AN D O'RLANDO R. ERWIN, OF rnLwAUnnnwIsconsm.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. 20, 1917.

Application filed November 5, 1915, Serial No. 59,734. Renewed I: .nuary 8, 1917. Serial No. 141,348.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES B. Enwm and-*Onmnoo R. Eawin, citizens of the United States, residing at the city of Mil- 5 waukee, countyof Milwaukee, and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and. useful Improvements in Apparatus for Extinguishing-Fires, of which the following .is a speci- -fication. Our invention relates to improvements in apparatus for simultaneously generating and discharging a-quick acting foam upon burning surfaces, set forth and described but not claimed in Letters Patent No. 1,198,768, issued Feb. 16, 1915.

Our apparatus consists in the mechanism for commingling quick acting foam producing liquids and'the delivery of such foam more rapidly than heretofore, upon a burn- The primary ob ect of this invention is to provide the simplest, and most efiicient means for injecting or introducing a relatively small quantity of sul- 'furic acid direct, by gravity, into a relatively large quantity of a quick acting foam generatingsolution, simultaneously at difl'erent elevations, and different points, whereby a more thorough and rapidrommingling of the two liquids is afforded, resulting in a violent ebullition and instant conversion of the commingled liquids into foam, which rises from the commingled liq, uids as fast as generated, and is forcibly discharged from the container by its own expansion upon the fire, in greater volume and velocity than by any other means which has heretofore been disclosed.

Our invention is further explained by reference to the accompanying drawing,

which shows the general arrangement of one form of our apparatus in vertical see- I tion in operative connection with an oil tank also in vertical section.

. Connected with tireoil tank 1 is a solution' tank 2 whichfis filled nearly full with our foam producing solution 3, The solutiers-ta? 2 is directly connected to the oil spout is secured at one end. o

and at itsother end'tother'sol means of rivets or bolts 5.

The solution tank 2 is closed at its upper end by means of the plate 6, which is bolted to the flange 7, therefor provided on the 56 solution tank 2,-by bolts8; An acid recap tacle, 9 is pi'otally mounted below its center of gravity 21 ad in an inclined position, upon trunnions 10 operating in the closed funnel 11, which funnel is attached as-showmto the plate 6 by the bolts 12;. A perforated. 6. pipe 13 is connected to the-lower endof the funnel 11- and extends to the bottom of the solution tank-2. The acid receptacle 9 is normally held in its inclined position by the latch 14 which latch is ivoted at 15 to the top plats 6 by means 0 thebracketlli.

A cable 17 connects the latch 14 with the weight 18 operatingjover the pulleys 20, 20. Another cal -1e 21, likewise, attached ,to the weight 18 extends over the tank pulley 20 76 into the oil iank, and thence over the pulley 20 and fron thence to thebpttoinfdf-Whe tank 1 The cable 21 i'suprefrablyj provided with t plurality of fusiblelinksfiii, located at ::l10rt intervalsfaparnf whereby one of such .inks will be near the surface of the burning oil, regardless of the depth of oil in said lank when ignited. The lower end of the c: .ble 21 is preferably attached to a weight 24, the gravity of WllIClI' is greater than that o. the weight 18. The bracket 25 is suppo:-ted from the vertical wall of the oil tank near the top. In case of fire one of the fusible links 23 melts permitting said weight 18 to drop, whereby the acid receptacle t is inverted, the descending weight-18 azting through the cable 17, releasing latch 14, whereby said acid (sulfuric) will. )e quickly discharged into the perforated funnel pipe 13, when, owing to 9 0 the fact that such acid is. approximately twice thesp :cific, gravity of our foamproducing solution, it will rapidl descend in said perforated pipe, and be injected into such solutio: 1, simultaneously, at different elevations at d different points, resulting in-- a I thorough :ommingling, whereby the en-" 3 tire solution is quickly converted into foam in large quantities fully adequate to the desired purpos 2, and capable of developing a pressu'e suficient to cause its discharge thro/u'g a spout to a considerable distance upon a burn: ngsurface.

paratus in o; )erative connectio with an oil tank arranged to automatical 1 xtinguish fires therein, we wish to be unr tood that the same mi: in means can be: rporated in our manna. y operated p0" le extin- 110 guisliers for discharging the acid at difi'erlution in said gene-rating tank, a perforated spray pipe connected at its upper end to said acid discharging means, and extending from thence downwardly into the solution in said generating tank, whereby when said acid is released it will be injected simultaneously atdifl'erent elevations and diiferent points into said solution. 4

2. lhe combination with a foam generating tank adapted to contain a suitable liquid solution, means located in said solution for injecting asecondliquid simultaneously at different points and at different elevations into said solution, said injecting means for the second liquid being connected to a source 'O f supply exterior to the solution in said generating tank.

ferent elevations therein together tending from thence downwardly into the solution in said generating tank, whereby when said acid is released it will be lnjected b ravit simultaneousl at different eley c y i y vations and dilferent points into said solution.

l. The combination with a foam generato provided with a discharge spout for foam, said generator being adapted to receive a suitable liquid solution, means located in said generator for injecting asecond liquid simultaneously at difi'erent points and difwith means for forcibly supplying said second liquid to said injecting means.

In testimony whereof We affix our signatures in the presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES B. ERWlK. ORLANDO R. ERWIN. WVitnesses:

LAWRENCE B. ERWIN IRMA D. BREMER. 

